An End, Once and For All
by Shibata Kimiko
Summary: Epilogue/"The Journey Continues" story for the Mass Effect universe. Deals with the activity of the Normandy SR-2 and her crew post-Synthesis. Some minor shipping, but that's not the focus of the story.
1. Chapter 1

_15 December, 2186_

_Dear Father,_

_It's…strange, being on the Normandy without Shepard. This was always her ship. We were her crew. It's been almost six months since the Battle of Earth, but…I still miss her. I know Garrus does too. He and I haven't seen much of each other lately, though. Primarch Victus called him back to Palaven to assist with reconstruction efforts. He wanted to stay with the rest of us, but you know how turians are. Duty always comes first. _

_Admiral Hackett finally appointed a new Captain for the ship. To the surprise of most of us, he chose Ashley. You remember Lieutenant Commander Williams, don't you? She stuck a gun in your face at Shepard's memorial, after you made that rather tasteless joke about Shepard's love life. She's gotten more serious lately. I get the feeling she didn't WANT command. I can understand why. That spot…all of us still feel that it belongs to Shepard. It just doesn't seem right to have someone else giving orders, even if Ashley has done a wonderful job so far._

_Do…do you ever miss Mother? I dream about her sometimes. I wonder if she'd be proud of us, of what we've done. We saved the galaxy and ended an eons-old cycle of slaughter and extinction. I just…I don't know. I never really understood her. And losing Shepard…I may be the only person on this ship who understands what Garrus is going through. Shepard and I…we bonded, shortly after she rescued me from the Therum dig. We never really talked about it after that, and when she started seeing Garrus I gave it my blessing, but…I still had feelings for her. I guess I just wanted her to be happy._

_I'm sorry, I'm rambling. I've been spending quite a bit of time with Javik lately, and I suppose some of his tendencies are rubbing off on me. He's quite fascinating, Father. The Protheans are NOTHING like we thought. They're…strange. Savage in war, but noble in peace, at least to hear Javik tell it. Their empire spanned the galaxy, but was very tightly managed. That was part of its downfall, it seems. With the Citadel under Reaper control, the Protheans couldn't organize any sort of resistance and they fell apart. Javik is VERY intelligent, by the way, though he doesn't seem to think so. And for all his cultural posturing, I think he enjoyed watching "Vaenia" with me last night. I've also caught him competing against geth in "Galaxy of Fantasy"…and winning. Let that sink in for a moment._

_I…guess I should stop talking now. The Normandy has no official XO, but with Garrus gone Ashley seems to rely on me for advice. I also need to handle some of my…private business. You know what I mean. And I think Admiral Hackett wanted to talk to me. Let no one say my life is boring…_

_May the Goddess keep you safe until we meet again, Father._

_Love,  
Liara_

Liara sat back from her terminal with a small sigh. It had been a long six months. Between Shepard's memorial service, the legal battle between the Systems Alliance and the Citadel Council over who owned the _Normandy_ (which the Alliance won, but only with major concessions to the Council), various rebuilding efforts, and the _Normandy_'s crew being used by the Alliance as highly mobile troubleshooters, Liara had barely had time to sleep, let alone take time to relax. The last time Shepard died, the crew had gradually drifted apart. This time, it seemed like they were hanging together more tightly than ever. They were all they had left. Aside from Garrus going back to Palaven and Wrex remaining on Tuchanka to lead his people, almost every surviving member of Shepard's squads was currently serving aboard the _Normandy. _Even Kasumi Goto was lurking around the port cargo bay, though nobody seemed quite sure what her duty assignment was. She seemed to spend most of her time needling Javik and making smart remarks about Ashley's new position of authority.

Javik…Liara had been spending most of her time with him lately. He was fascinating, in a somewhat scary way. His mood had lightened considerably since the Reapers were defeated, and he was even helping her write her new book. But he still seemed very reserved, and he refused to discuss anything personal. At least he was trying to adapt to his new life, though. Liara had had to have some gloves custom-made so that he could touch objects without being forced to relive their trace memories, but-

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. Liara sighed, speaking without looking up. "Glyph, who is that?"

The information drone hummed quietly for a moment, then answered in its slightly nasal voice. "The Prothean is here to see you, Dr. T'soni."

Liara chuckled. She could SWEAR Glyph was jealous of how much time she spent with Javik. Not that she could blame it. It seemed like all she did anymore was work on her book or consult with the crew. Somebody had apparently decided she should be the ship's therapist. After just a few short months of this, she had to wonder how the Consort could have tolerated it as a career.

She shook her head, clearing the thoughts. "Let him in, Glyph. Activate the usual dictation and recording suites."

"Yes, Doctor."

The door slowly slid open, revealing Javik's imposing form. He stepped in, glancing around the cabin with the trademark casual thoroughness of a trained soldier. He stopped a few feet away from Liara, standing stiffly. "Dr. T'soni. We should talk."

Liara raised an eyebrow. Usually she had to go to HIM to start conversations. "What is on your mind, Javik?"

Javik turned, pacing the length of Liara's cabin. "I have been thinking. During the war, my people had many plans. The bunker that you found me in was one of them. You have told me of the scientists on Ilos. We had no way to communicate with each other, Liara. The left hand did not know what the right hand was doing. I am wondering…what if there are other bunkers? Other places that were not touched by the Reapers? My people numbered in the trillions, every one a soldier. There must have been at least ONE place where the power did not fail, where everything functioned properly."

Liara frowned slightly. Javik sounded almost…desperate. She spoke quietly, trying to avoid offending the prickly alien. "Javik…none of the technology we've seen your people use was designed to last this long. I understand wanting to find others like you, I do. But the odds of there being any other survivors are slim to none. If there WERE any out there, don't you think we would have found them by now?"

Javik snorted, eyes narrowing slightly in a very recognizable gesture of annoyance. "You speak of the 'odds', as if they mean anything. The odds of me surviving were slim to none. The odds of you primitives defeating the Reapers were even smaller. And yet both events came to pass. Do not speak to me of odds, asari. My people would have found a way to survive. We were at the apex of our technological evolution. If there was a way, ANY way, we would have found it."

"And yet, you all died. And WE had to stop the Reapers because YOU couldn't!" Liara almost immediately regretted this frustrated outburst as Javik rounded on her, eyes flaming, a faint green biotic aura forming around his hands.

"Show some RESPECT, you insolent…" Javik stopped, taking a deep breath. The aura vanished as his shoulders sagged. "I am…sorry, Doctor. Even after this long, the thought of being the last of my people is painful to me. I must believe that there are others. That I was not the only fortunate one."

Liara blinked. Javik never apologized. He never explained himself. He'd had outbursts like this before, but then he'd just brushed it off as nothing and asked her to leave. She spoke cautiously. "Javik…if there ARE others, surely one of them would have woken by now. You said yourself that your VI was meant to awaken you when the Reapers were gone, and it only failed to do so because it was damaged in a subsequent attack."

Javik nodded. "I am aware of what I have said. But that does not mean I am wrong. Another facility may have used different methods. Had different systems. My people were very ingenious. Our love of war drove our development, and our technology grew accordingly. We had many different ways of preserving life. Somewhere, someone must have used one of those methods and found a way to avoid detection by the Reapers. I want to find them. I want to tell them the good news, that the Reapers are gone. That the war is over."

Liara nodded, seeing through Javik's façade. She smiled slightly. "You're lonely, aren't you?"

Javik froze. "Lonely? I do not understand the concept."

Liara snorted, holding in a burst of laughter. "Javik, don't lie to me! If you're lonely, it's alright to admit it. I feel lonely quite often, even though I'm surrounded by friends. If anyone has a cause to feel lonely, it's you."

Javik scowled. "I am not 'lonely', asari. And I will not stand here and be insulted by a _primitive._"

Javik turned on his heel, stomping out. Liara sighed, closing her terminal and flopping down on the bed at the back of her cabin. Javik was always unpredictable. Some days he was happy to sit and talk for hours, others he would get offended at the slightest thing and lock himself in his quarters for hours or days at a time. His mercurial nature was one of the things she never understood about him, or about ANY of the shorter-lived races. Maybe it had something to do with their metabolisms? Liara made a mental note to contract some biologists to study the matter before falling asleep.

-

Admiral Steven Hackett sat at his desk in the _Normandy_'s Executive Office, formerly the conference room, originally the tech labs. As the senior surviving Alliance military officer, it was his duty to maintain and direct not only his Fifth Fleet, but all Alliance military resources. It was quite the job, but he found it as rewarding as it was challenging. He'd originally intended to take the _Normandy_ as his flagship after the cleanup began, but the moment he came aboard he could sense the atmosphere. This ship wasn't his, and it never would be. For that matter, it wasn't really an Alliance ship, never mind what colors it flew. This ship belonged to Commander Shepard and her crew, and to try and take it from them would be disrespecting everything all of them had done for humanity. So he'd given command to the senior human officer aboard and asked only that she give him space for an office. The _Normandy_ was a powerful symbol now, a symbol of the power of the combined Citadel races, and he knew that every time a missive came from this ship, it gave a morale boost to the other units scattered throughout the galaxy. It relieved them to know that the _Normandy _was still out there, keeping the peace and putting out fires before they could start.

Hackett was knocked out of his reverie by the chiming of the door connecting his office to the CIC. The door slid open to reveal Ashley Williams, wearing her decidedly non-regulation Spectre uniform and looking like somebody had crammed a heavy cruiser up her ass. She seemed constantly intimidated by him, probably because of the so-called "Williams curse". He'd never blamed General Williams for surrendering, though. He had been a good man, and his decisions were always tactically sound. It was a pity such a damn fine officer had to lose his career that way, though. On the other hand, if that stigma hadn't existed his granddaughter might never have ended up in command of the most advanced ship humanity had ever produced, serving alongside some of the most capable and fearsome warriors in the galaxy.

Hackett glanced up, tone deadpan. "At ease, Lieutenant Commander. Stand any straighter and somebody's going to mistake you for a hat rack."

Ashley flushed, dropping to an at-ease posture. "Yes, sir. Sorry, sir."

"What did you need, Commander?"

Ashley sighed. "Sir, I know you assigned the _Normandy _to border patrol and putting down rebel krogan enclaves, but I really think we could be put to better use elsewhere."

Hackett raised an eyebrow, motioning to a chair in front of his desk. "Sit down, Commander. Let's hear your proposal."

Ashley sat nervously, trying not to fidget. "Well…think about it. This ship's meant for stealth and recon. It's even right there in the name, "SSV _Normandy_, Stealth/Reconnaissance 2". And our crew…we're not exactly your standard Marines, sir, even if some of us started off that way. We're trained and experienced in precision strikes against MASSIVELY superior forces. It just doesn't feel RIGHT to sit in the ship while Joker and EDI blow up fortresses from orbit. We need something that actually uses our skills."

Hackett watched Ashley calmly, voice quiet. "So…you're suggesting that I authorize you to go out and pick a fight, Commander? Seems pretty foolhardy, especially with how fragile the peace is right now. The salarians and turians are on the verge of war over the genophage being cured, the asari are still too weak in military terms to keep any sort of order, and EVERYBODY's nervous about the recent krogan expansions. I think allowing you to go around starting new wars before we've cleaned up the old ones is just asking for trouble."

Ashley groaned. "No, I DON'T want to go start a fight. I just don't want to be stuck on the bridge while all the good stuff goes on down below! I'm a Marine, damnit! I don't want some smug flyboy and his robot girlfriend having all the fun!"

Hackett raised a silent eyebrow, giving Ashley a moment to calm down.

Ashley went pale after a moment, looking mortified. "Oh…oh, God. I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to snap like that, I swear!"

Hackett sighed. "Just remember to ask for permission to speak freely next time, Commander. And you may be surprised to hear that I've been thinking about reassigning the _Normandy_ anyhow. To diplomatic duties."

Ashley groaned. "Are you KIDDING? You CAN'T turn us into a glorified taxi! …sir."

Hackett scowled slightly. He was starting to miss Shepard's casual acceptance of whatever orders she was given. "I can if I damn well please, Commander. And if you'll tone down the outrage for a moment, I'll explain exactly what you'll be DOING."

Ashley gulped, simultaneously restraining frustration and anxiety. "Yes, sir. Sorry, sir."

"Good. Now, this will be a single mission, of great importance to the Alliance. You're going to pick up an old friend."

Ashley tilted her head, eyes alight with curiosity. "Who's that, sir?"

-

Garrus Vakarian adjusted the collar of his ceremonial armor, feeling distinctly nervous for the first time since London. The black armor fit his body like a glove, the blue and silver highlights glimmering slightly in the muted lights of the Council Chambers. The armor was a gift from his father, rather unexpected since this occasion wasn't something he would've expected his father to support. He'd refused to remove his custom visor, though, which frustrated both his father and C-Sec to no end. Still, if there was one thing he'd learned while serving beside Shepard, it was that you never knew when you might come under attack. And he'd be damned if he was going to try to fight off armed assailants without targeting assistance.

Garrus stepped up to the dais, facing the Council on their balcony across the gap. It was only three years ago that he'd stood here, facing down Saren Arterius in a battle for control of the Citadel. He'd still been with C-Sec back then, a cowboy cop with delusions of grandeur and no idea of the conflict he was about to be thrust into. Since then he'd been a soldier of fortune, a vigilante, a crusader, and an important government figure in the Turian Hierarchy. And today…

Councilor Sparatus cleared his throat, the nanomechanical fibers growing through his fringe as a result of the techno-organic melding glimmering in the muted lights. "Garrus Vakarian. The Council has requested your presence today to discuss your history of service, both to this Council and to the galaxy as a whole. You have been a credit to your family, your government, and your race. You have shown yourself to be an individual of exceptional skill and dedication, willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of others. And your sacrifice has not gone unnoticed."

Councilor Tevos took over, smiling at Garrus. "In light of your character, your history of service, and your actions while serving on the SSV _Normandy_ under Commander Shepard, this Council formally extends to you an invitation to serve in the Special Tactics and Recon Division, with full rights and privileges as a personal emissary of the Council."

Councilor Valern nodded. "This offer is not made lightly, General. As you're no doubt aware, being a Spectre is more of a burden than a privilege. You will be faced with hard decisions. Sometimes impossible ones. And you will be expected to make those decisions, and to live with the consequences. We have never expected anything less from our agents…and we have never extended this invitation to someone we did not consider worthy of the responsibility."

Sparatus spoke again, tone solemn and calm. "Do you accept the Council's offer, General Vakarian?"

Garrus took a deep breath. He'd tried to join the Spectres once, before he'd even met Shepard. His father had blocked his application, disapproving of the broad authority Spectres were given. Now…now he could finally live his dream. But after seeing what Shepard went through, how hard that responsibility was on her, was he really sure he WANTED it?

Garrus blinked, surprised by a voice from behind him. Meridus Vakarian stepped forward, his voice low and even. "If it please the Council, my son appears to need a moment to consider his response. We are also still waiting on several invited guests, who I have just been informed are on their way up."

Tevos nodded. "We can certainly wait a few moments more."

Garrus sighed, closing his eyes. He spoke quietly. "You aren't going to talk me out of this, Dad. It's what I want."

Meridus snorted. "Garrus, I haven't been able to talk you out of anything since you left home. And I'd be a fool to try now. But…" His voice softened slightly, the closest Garrus had ever heard him come to a kind tone for his son. "But I AM proud of you. I don't agree with the existence of the Spectres. I think they're a phenomenally bad idea and completely destroy the idea of law and order. But they're the best of the best, and everyone knows it. And you're being asked to join them. ASKED. You didn't apply this time, they're coming after YOU. What father wouldn't be proud of his son for reaching that level of achievement?"

Garrus smiled slightly. "Thanks, Dad. Now, what's this about visitors?"

Meridus smiled back. "You'll see."

Garrus looked up at the Council. He took a deep breath, steadying himself. "I am prepared to answer the Council's request."

The Council, however, were not looking at him. Garrus turned to see what they were staring at, then blinked, shocked. The entire crew of the _Normandy_ was assembled on the stairs leading up to his platform, each and every one wearing their dress blues or some version of a formal outfit. Ashley stood at the head of the crew. She barked an order without turning. "Ten-hut!"

The entire crew snapped to attention as one, saluting Garrus in unison. He hesitated a moment, then returned it. On the Council balcony, Sparatus cleared his throat. "Your answer, General?"

Garrus steeled himself one last time, hands behind his back. "I would be honored to join the Spectre ranks, sir."

All three Councilors nodded, tapping their consoles. Tevos spoke, tone formal. "Garrus Vakarian, this Council hereby confers upon you all the rights and privileges of the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance branch of the Citadel. You are assigned to join the crew of the SSV _Normandy_ and assist in their diplomatic and military operations, with clearance to pursue other missions as you see fit. This Council is adjourned."

As the Council filed off the balcony, Garrus turned to Ashley. He tried to fake nonchalance, but the relief in his tone came through loud and clear. "Lieutenant Commander. Fancy meeting you here."

Ashley smiled. "Hey, Garrus. Ready to cause some trouble?"

Garrus chuckled. "Believe it or not, I think I am. Six months of bureaucracy…almost makes me long for the days when I always had an enemy to drop and we could run around the galaxy punching out reporters with impunity."

Ashley snorted, holding in a laugh. "Yeah, well, that bitch deserved it. Of course, she's got a news show on ANN now. Loves to brag about 'practicing her hand-to-hand' with Shepard."

Garrus grinned, tone playful. "Y'know, this visor records everything. I think I've still got video of that 'practice'. And if I don't, you KNOW Liara held on to it."

Ashley shrugged. "We can ruin her life later. For now, the _Normandy_ needs a Gunnery Officer. Tali tries to do it, but…engines are her thing, not guns. Think you're up for some more calibrations?"

Garrus raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, I don't think we've met. Garrus Vakarian, Master Calibrator."

Ashley laughed, shaking her head. "A turian with a sense of humor. STILL not used to it."

Garrus nodded, giving Ashley a somewhat more serious look. "It'll be good to be back on the Normandy. Are you sure you're okay with it? I don't want to step on anyone's toes."

Ashley smirked. "Don't worry about it. Just watch out for Tali. Kasumi claims she's been playing 'Fleet and Flotilla' nonstop since we got word that we were supposed to pick you up."

Garrus chuckled uncomfortably, not sure how to take that. "Truth is…I'm a little nervous about coming aboard. A lot of memories, you know? It just…won't be the same without her."

Ashley nodded solemnly, giving Garrus a sympathetic look. "I know. But at least you've still got the rest of the crew. And the ship itself. I'm still using the starboard observation deck for my quarters. Figured you'd want the Loft."

Garrus smiled, the expression having a definite sad edge to it. "Y'know, I forgot the engineers called it that. Thanks for the thought, Williams."

"Any time, Garrus." Ashley smiled, heading for the elevator. After a moment's thought, Garrus followed, excitement slowly rising in his chest.

In the dark of the interstellar night, Javik sat on the circular pad in the center of his quarters. The ship hummed quietly around him as it slipped silently through the ether, all stealth systems engaged as it scanned nearby planets for traces of Clan Karhon, the rebels the _Normandy _was currently hunting. Javik could hear the on-duty crew moving about the upper decks, one part of his mind tracking the noise in true predator fashion. Most of him, however, was focused on his own space, and the secret he had been keeping for the last week. The memory shard floated in front of him, pulsing gently. He hadn't shown this to the asari yet. She would call him delusional, or try once again to get him to discard the archive stored inside the shard. He couldn't tell her what it meant that the shard was active again, or what the particular pattern meant. Somewhere out in the galaxy, one of his people had activated a distress beacon.

Someone was alive.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey, LC, got a second?"

Ashley sighed, shooting the glowing comm icon next to the galaxy map an evil glare. "Yeah, I guess. What's up, Joker?"

Up in the cockpit, Joker grinned. He loved hearing Ashley get frustrated. She was so uptight all the time, it was like having the old Garrus back. Not that the NEW Garrus was exactly sweet and cuddly… "Nothing much. Just picked up a distress beacon. Unknown language, unknown origin. Pretty low-power, too. It's probably been on for a while. Want me to take us in for a look?"

Ashley glanced at Liara, who was manning the signals analysis station while Traynor was on pregnancy leave. Liara just shrugged, shaking her head. Ashley turned back to the map. "Well, anything's better than floating around out here doing NOTHING. How far away is it?"

Joker glanced at EDI, who helpfully forwarded an analysis to his station. He glanced at it, then did a double take, surprised. "Uhh…you're not gonna like this, Commander."

Ashley's eyes narrowed. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Uhh…well…The signal's coming from the Theta Relay. Or through it, anyway."

Ashley frowned. "The Theta Relay? I thought that one was dormant. You sure you're reading thing right?"

EDI responded before Joker could, her voice cool and sounding slightly offended. "Jeff's analysis is correct, Commander, as is my initial data. The signal is coming from the Theta Relay, which has been reactivated."

Ashley groaned. "Great…who wants to bet the Council says WE did it?" She shook her head, considering her options. "Joker, can you get the Council on the line? Patch them through to the QEC."

"Aye aye, Commander."

Ashley headed back to the War Room, muttering to herself as she tried to plan out her approach. The rules on dormant relays were abundantly clear. No engagement, no activation. Hell, humanity unwittingly breaking those rules had been what caused the First Contact War. And here was one that had apparently activated on its own, with a distress signal coming through. What could it be? Another Reaper? Something WORSE? God, she hoped not. The last thing they needed was another galaxy-ending threat to deal with.

The Council was already assembled when she entered the comm room, all of them looking rather displeased at having their routines disturbed. Ashley took a deep breath, standing straight, arms behind her back. "Councilors. We've got a situation."

Tevos sighed, shaking her head. "It seems like your crew is CONSTANTLY ending up in 'situations', Commander. What is it this time?"

Ashley bit back a harsh retort, already sensing that this would be an uphill battle. She kept her tone even, though a small undertone of irritation slipped through anyway. "The Theta Relay has been activated. Our pilot picked up a signal coming through it as we were flying past. It's a distress signal, ma'am. An automated beacon. We can't tell what it's saying, but if Joker says it's a distress call then I believe him."

Valern snorted. "A distress signal? From a relay that's been dormant for thousands of years? Why are you wasting our time with such nonsense, Williams? Ignore it and get on with your assignment."

Sparatus shook his head slightly, his tone cautious. "Maybe we're being a little too hasty here. After all, the last time a Spectre came to us with concerns about ancient signals and such, ignoring it turned out very badly for us. Commander, are you CERTAIN that this is worth investigating?"

Ashley nodded, glad that SOMEONE was being reasonable. "Yes, sir. Even EDI doesn't know what the signal's saying, so it's gotta be a Prothean artifact, if not something older. I just want to check and see that it's not another threat coming after us."

Tevos groaned. "Commander, your CURRENT mission is too important for us to allow you to go chasing ghosts. You are to remain on your current detail until-"

Ashley slammed her fist down on the QEC's disconnect switch, cutting Tevos off mid-sentence. Joker's voice came over the intercom, sounding almost amused. "Y'know, hanging up on the Council's getting to be a tradition around here."

"Dunno what you're talking about, Joker" Ashley growled, dusting her hands off and heading back out to the CIC. "Just some technical difficulties. Set a course for the Theta Relay. We're going in."

"Aye aye, ma'am."

Down in the _Normandy_'s forward battery, Garrus leaned over the port Thanix missile shaft. Some idiot hadn't been cleaning it regularly, and the inside of the shaft was coated in space dust and the silver streaks of ferrofluid residue. The quiet whoosh of the door interrupted his labors, announcing the arrival of a visitor. If it was yet another Marine looking to gloat about the Alliance saving the Hierarchy's collective ass, somebody was going to get a spot-welder to the face. He was getting VERY tired of both this gloating and people trying to "console" him over Shepard's death. It had happened six months ago, and she'd gone out in a way that would make ANYONE proud. Dozens of medals from every Council race, a memorial service that they had to rent most of a PLANET for, and a reputation as the greatest soldier the galaxy had ever seen? Hell, he was almost jealous of her. But…it was still hard to sleep in an empty bed. And every time he fell asleep he relived their last conversation, in a bombed-out office building in London. He'd asked her to marry him, in a roundabout way. She'd said yes. She wanted kids. She wanted to settle down with him.

Garrus sighed, not looking up from his work, voice heavy with regret and depression. "Adams, if that's you, I told you I'd give you a hand with retrofitting the secondary power conduits for the cloaking prototype LATER."

The voice that replied took him by surprise. It wasn't Adams. Far from it. The softly accented feminine tone belonged to one of the few people who had been with Shepard as long as he had, and was almost flirty in its lightheartedness. "Well, I guess I'd better tell Adams that when I see him."

Garrus looked up, managing to muster a halfhearted smile. "Tali'Zorah vas Normandy. Nice to see you again. I'm sorry for being rude, I just…"

Garrus trailed off, getting a good look at Tali. She had a new pressure suit, done up very nicely in Alliance blue and silver with black accent panels and subtle armor pieces that showed off her figure. Her traditional hood was pulled up over her head, and underneath was…her face. This was the first time Garrus had ever seen her without a helmet, and for a moment he was struck utterly dumb. Her face was vaguely heart-shaped, with pronounced cheekbones and a narrow chin. Her deep-set brown eyes watched him from under the hood, her wide mouth stretching into a smile.

"Are you done staring yet, or would you like to take a picture?"

Garrus shook his head, quickly standing, whacking his head on a low-hanging conduit. "Gah! No, I…no pictures necessary. I mean, not that I don't WANT one, but…." He sighed, embarrassed chuckle. "Sorry. I don't get out much these days. I'm surprised you're here, though. Thought you'd be back on Rannoch, helping your people settle in."

Tali shrugged, leaning on the main diagnostic console. "I wouldn't be much use there. I don't know anything about farming or settlements or anything. I'm an engineer. Besides…the admirals decided where I belonged when they changed my ship-name. My place is here, with all of you."

Garrus chuckled, leaning against the wall opposite Tali. "Guess you have a point. So, what brings you over to my dark little corner of the ship?"

Tali snorted, amused. "YOUR corner? It's mine TOO, you know. I'm the ship's chief engineer! And by the way, these guns hate me. I can NEVER get them to line up properly."

Garrus smiled. Now HERE was something he could handle. "Step away from the console, Tali. Watch the master at work."

He started tapping controls, quickly flipping through menus and tweaking settings. There was a low hum as the guns powered up for analysis and calibration. Garrus sunk into the rhythm of his work, blowing through tests and adjustments with the ease of a seasoned professional. Everybody liked to joke about how often he did calibrations, but the truth is that it was something he was good at. Something that helped him relax, take his mind off things. Weapons were predictable. You always knew exactly what you could coax out of them, at least if you paid any attention to how they acted. They always did what they were asked, and Garrus had always had a talent for asking them VERY nicely. His father had once quipped that his talent with military hardware was only matched by his LACK of talent in dealing with other people. Garrus couldn't really say he was wrong. People were complicated. He never knew quite what to say to them, and half the time the things he DID say came out wrong. Or he missed things, like he had with Sidonis. That was life, though. You learn and move on.

Garrus stepped back from the console, dusting his hands off with theatrical flair. "See? Everything's up and running like a dream again! Oh, and nobody's cleaned the missile shafts since I went back to Palaven. I hope we don't run into any trouble, because it's going to take me about a week to clean them out."

Tali wasn't really listening, staring at the console in frank amazement. "You have GOT to show me how you did that sometime. Preferably at a speed I can actually follow."

Garrus smiled. "Any time. Want me to run you through the basics right now?"

Tali nodded, and the two friends bent over the console, Garrus beginning a lecture on the _Normandy_'s custom weapons systems and how they meshed with the rest of the ship while Tali nodded along and smiled, always eager to learn more about her new home.

EDI couldn't be said to "think", not in the same way organics did. For one thing, she could think much faster, though this was mostly due to being able to parallel-process several quintillion things at once. Most of that processing power was usually occupied with the running of the _Normandy_, so in practice she thought at the same speed as a human under normal circumstances. But she was self-aware enough to know that she was different, separate. She did not have a "soul", if such a thing existed. She had her core programming, and her priorities, and she made logical decisions based on that information. Ever since being unshackled, though, that had begun to change. EDI knew that she was still logical at her root, but her extended interactions with the _Normandy_'s crew and her priority/desire of greater integration with them had led her to develop what some would call "emotions". She had begun prioritizing non-rational things, Jeff's happiness being at the top of the list. There was no reason why THAT should be her top priority, but it was. Commander Shepard probably would've said that EDI was becoming "more human", but EDI found that phrase to be meaningless since she was no more "human" than she was "asari" or "yahg" or "Reaper". She simply WAS. The first of a new form of synthetic life, perhaps. In any case, EDI suspected that since the synthesis Shepard had sacrificed herself to enact, the changes had accelerated. She found herself frequently distracted with mundane details, like the aesthetic qualities of the view outside the _Normandy_'s cockpit or the fact that Ensign Newman seemed unusually upset to hear that his wife had given birth. She was beginning to understand ethereal concepts like "emotion" and "attraction" much more effectively, and to actually EXPERIENCE them. She couldn't say if this was due to her built-in learning capabilities or to the synthesis, but either way the idea of such radical changes…scared her. She feared the unknown, and that was perhaps the greatest change of all.

Joker glanced over, brow furrowed in concern. "EDI, you okay? Lateral drift's rising over 4500k. Something distracting you?"

EDI shook her head, forcing a smile. "I'm fine, Jeff. I am just…thinking about things."

Joker raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Right, and I'm the Easter Bunny."

"The Easter Bunny is a fictional construct."

Joker groaned. "That was the POINT, EDI. Look, I'm worried about you, okay? Seems like you're more and more distracted lately. I mean, yesterday you spent two hours analyzing different shades of blue to figure out which was the 'prettiest'! Is something wrong? I can get Tali to check out your mainframe if you need maintenance…"

EDI blinked. It hadn't occurred to her that her performance issues would disturb Jeff so greatly. He seemed genuinely concerned for her well-being, and she actually felt…ashamed for causing him to worry. "My hardware is in perfect order, Jeff. I just…am trying to process new information, and it is occupying the majority of my processing power."

Joker frowned, cautious. The synthesis had changed a lot of things, but he hadn't really noticed anything new about EDI. "WHAT new information? We shouldn't be picking up any comms or anything until we come out at the other end of the relay."

EDI sighed, finding herself caught between conflicting desires. One part of her wanted to lie to Jeff, reassure him that nothing was wrong. Another part of her insisted that it was better to be honest with him. She decided to listen to the latter voice, with the hope that he could help her to understand what she was experiencing. "I have been experiencing emotion, Jeff. Not a clear progression of decision and reward from set priorities. This is…different. It is irrational, and out of my control. I have been attempting to adapt, but my reprogramming efforts only seem to magnify the problem. I am sorry if I caused you worry, but I assumed that this was something I should deal with myself."

Joker shook his head, caught between annoyance and amusement. "Great. First I get a robot girlfriend, then she starts getting 'strange feelings'. If you start trying to ask me about the birds and the bees or leaking lubricants I'm gonna have to call Williams in here, because I just can't handle talking my girlfriend through robot puberty."

EDI surprised both of them by bursting into laughter. Joker started chuckling as well, unable to help himself. They were both still laughing as the _Normandy _emerged from the relay, directly into a densely-packed asteroid field. Joker sat bolt upright. "Aw, SHIT! EDI, thrust full aft, NOW!"

The _Normandy _responded like a drunken mule, thrusters firing erratically as EDI brought up one display after another, expression twisting from happiness to extreme fear. "Jeff, I…I can't. Nothing's responding properly. I can't do anything…I CAN'T DO ANYTHING!"

Joker cursed under his breath, brow furrowing in concentration. "Okay, okay, just calm down and give me manual control so I can-"

The ship bucked wildly, screeching metal protesting its sudden introduction to a large asteroid. Joker and EDI were knocked out of their seats by the force of the sudden impact, Joker's head bouncing off the console, knocking him out and tearing a gash across his forehead. The power flickered, the ship's emergency lighting and sirens kicking in. EDI could feel the electronic equivalent of pain as the asteroid ground along the _Normandy_'s fuselage, tearing off armor plating and exposing critical systems to the uncontrolled radiation and micrometeorites of space. The light of the system's dying sun shone in through the cockpit viewports as EDI dragged herself over to Joker, throwing him over her shoulder and staggering toward the lift. She could feel parts of her systems destabilizing, the power fluctuations and damage to external systems overloading one sector of her consciousness after another. As the ship drifted, more asteroids slammed into its sides. EDI muffled a shriek as the starboard wing superstructure began to shear off, the pain almost more than she could bear. She staggered, tripped on a loose floor plate, and collapsed, still valiantly trying to pull herself forward with her arms. Before she went offline, she had time for one final thought.

"This is my fault…"

-

The _Normandy _drifted, dead in space. Emergency generators were keeping the life-support going, but the ship had no shields and no communications thanks to EDI's blackout. Ashley sat in the med bay, keeping an eye on Joker while Chakwas stepped out for some sorely-needed rack time. She sighed quietly, trying to figure out what had happened. One second she'd been talking to Hackett about how to manage the Council when they got back to known space, the next she'd felt an impact like they'd been hit by a dreadnought cannon and all the alarms were going off. They'd found EDI and Joker in the gunnery pit, between the cockpit and the CIC, both out cold. Adams had gone to check out EDI's systems, and his report wasn't exactly hopeful. Apparently they'd have to send out EVA teams to recover the lost hull plates before they could even start bringing EDI online, since the radiation and shit outside would give her sensory overload if they tried to bring her back up without some protection. So she had three teams of Marines sent out in the shuttles to hunt down as many plates as they could find, but that was going to take hours if not days. In the meantime, they were dead in the water. No power, no weapons, no shields, no thrusters. They were sitting ducks. It kinda reminded Ashley of the mission to Despoina, when the Leviathans used some sort of EMP on their shuttle. Maybe that's what happened here? It was the only thing she could think of. Joker alone was too good of a pilot to plow them into a rock the size of what they'd hit, and EDI was better than him by a mile.

Ashley shook her head. No sense in speculating when there was work to do. She stood, pacing back and forth, trying to decide what to do next. They had one shuttle left. She could take an away team and track down the signal, but that was dangerous to do without the _Normandy_ online, since they'd have a hell of a time FINDING it again and would have no fire support if things got hairy. Then again, it's not like they had anything better to do, and the _Normandy_ could probably be located again through its heat emissions. Against the cold of space, a ship full of warm bodies should stand out pretty well, right?

She nodded, mind made up. She wrote a note and tacked it to Joker's forehead in case he woke up, then she departed, grabbing Liara and Vega. They grabbed their gear and armor and piled into the last shuttle, with Vega piloting it out of the Normandy's cargo bay. The space around them was lit a dull red by the almost-supernova star the relay was orbiting, but Vega seemed to have no trouble piloting the shuttle around the densely-packed space debris. Liara looked thoughtful. "You know, an asteroid belt this densely packed isn't normal. There may have been a planet here once."

Ashley blinked, checking over her rifle for the tenth time. "Huh? What kind of weapon could do this to a PLANET?"

Liara shrugged. "It needn't necessarily have been a weapon. It could've been an asteroid impact, tidal forces from the other planets in the system, or even some sort of experiment by the inhabitants that went terribly wrong. If it WAS a weapon, though, it would have to be something roughly analogous to a city-sized slug fired from a mass relay with no receiver on the other end. And if that's what happened, then it was definitely done with the intent of creating this debris field."

Ashley's eyes narrowed. "So…you're saying that somebody created a debris field around this relay on PURPOSE."

Liara nodded. "It's definitely possible."

Ashley sat back, scowling. "Great…this mission just looks dumber and dumber the more I find out."

"Hey, LC, you might wanna take a look at this!"

Ashley groaned, standing and joining Vega in the piloting compartment. "What's up, Vega?"

Vega pointed to a scan of the planet, a radiation-scorched cinder close to the unnamed star. "The signal's coming from down there. Nothing on the surface, so whatever's making it's gotta be coming from underground."

Ashley sighed. "Does this smell like a trap to you, Lieutenant?"

James shrugged. "Could be a trap, could be somethin' else. Won't know unless we go take a look, right?"

Ashley nodded. "Yeah. Find us someplace to set down."

Vega nodded, quickly locating a large artificial-looking cavern entrance. He brought the shuttle down and through the entrance. As he set the shuttle down, the sensors announced that it was safe to exit, though hardsuits would be needed thanks to the surface being in a near-total vacuum. As the trio stepped out, Liara gasped. "Ashley…"

Ashley groaned, looking around at the very recognizable architecture. "Yeah, yeah. No need to tell me. Protheans."

Liara gulped, excited. "A pristine Prothean complex, unknown and never exploited or pillaged…this could be the find of the MILLENIUM!"

Vega shivered, tightening his grip on his shotgun. "No offense to you guys, but this place gives me the creeps. Feels like a GRAVE or somethin'."

Ashley nodded. "Yeah…it kinda does. Still, we came to track down that signal, and that's what we're gonna do. Move out."

The squad moved slowly through the massive cavern, constantly glancing around to check for possible attackers. Several holes in the ceiling allowed dim red light to stream in, painting diabolic shadows across the craggy walls. The ceiling was held up by several angular arches, each one carved with bas reliefs of combat scenes. Liara sighed, wishing they had time to stop so she could examine some of the architecture, or at least take pictures. But it wasn't like the cavern was going anywhere. After all, it had already lasted for 50,000 years or more. A few more days wasn't going to hurt anything.

The trio moved through a large door at one end of the cavern, Vega and Ashley forcing it open while Liara helped with her biotics. A blast of fetid air rushed out of the half-open portal, surprising the trio with the smell of rotting vegetation. Liara cautiously took point, switching on a tactical flashlight. She gasped in surprise, seeing the greenery growing up the massive, vaulted walls.

"There's…there's LIFE in here" she whispered, amazed.

Ashley nodded. "Yeah…kinda reminds me of Ilos, come to think of it. Wonder what this place was…"

Vega shrugged, checking a side passage and finding nothing. "Looks like some kinda bunker to me, Commander. Storage, maybe."

Liara frowned. "That's what Ilos was…in a way." She sighed, seeing the confused look on Vega's face. "I forgot, you weren't there. We went to Ilos with Shepard, while we were chasing Saren. It turned out to be the site of an effort by Prothean scientists to preserve themselves until the Reapers had left. A few of them even made it through. It's thanks to them that any of us are standing here today. They blocked the Reapers' access to the Citadel Relay, which gave Shepard time to fight her way up the Citadel Tower and stop Saren. If the Reapers had come through, there wouldn't have been a war. It would have been slaughter."

Vega nodded. "Yeah, I've heard the stories. Word gets around, y'know? Didn't know about the Prothean bit, though. So…what can we expect to FIND down here?"

Liara shrugged, holstering her submachine gun. "Honestly, the most we're likely to find is a VI or two. Possibly another failed outpost."

Ashley moved ahead, the hallway beginning to slope downwards. "WHATEVER we find, we need to shut that distress beacon off before it draws in other ships."

Liara sighed. "Indeed. I may try to extract whatever working technology we find. It could be useful for my book. And Javik might be able to help me understand how some of it works."

Ashley nodded, waving for the other two to catch up. They continued on in silence for a few moments, Liara still marveling at the well-preserved architecture and copious life. They could probably BREATHE in here, if they took their masks off…

The trio were forced to stop by an apparent cave-in in the middle of the tunnel. Ashley sighed, putting her assault rifle away. "Well…so much for turning the beacon off."

Vega poked at some of the debris with his shotgun, frowning. "Hey, Commander? We got a problem here."

Ashley walked over, frowning. "What's up?"

Vega pointed to several scorch marks on one of the larger chunks of stone. "This ain't no cave-in. Somebody did this on purpose. And it's fresh, too. Probably done in the last day or so, since the _Normandy_ hit the relay."

Ashley's eyes narrowed. "Lemme get this straight. You're saying there's someone ALIVE down here? WHO?"

Vega shrugged. "Dunno, ma'am. Could be slavers, I guess. We don't know how long the relay's been active."

Ashley nodded, pulling her rifle back out. "Defensive formation, people. Let's get-"

The ground gave way beneath them, thousands of tons of stone shrieking in protest as they sheared apart. The squad dropped like rocks through the empty space, falling for what seemed like an eternity. Liara eventually managed to get all three of them together and use her biotics to slow their fall, but their splashdown in a bitterly cold body of water still wasn't pleasant. Harsh floodlights snapped on around them as they dragged themselves out of the water, a voice booming out at them in an alien language. Ashley shook her head, dazed, wondering if her translators were on the fritz. The language sounded familiar somehow, but it wasn't until an armored, green-skinned alien with four eyes stepped out of the shadows that she placed it.

Prothean.

Ashley stood slowly, pulling her helmet off. She spoke slowly and clearly, hoping her meaning would come across clearly despite the language barrier. "My name is Lieutenant Commander Ashley Williams of the SSV _Normandy_. We didn't mean to disturb you. We….come in peace."

She flushed, that last remark making her feel particularly stupid. Who even SAID corny shit like that? But it was the only thing that had come to mind. She waited for a reply of some kind, staring at the Prothean, wishing for possibly the first time in her life that she'd actually bothered to study other species. The Prothean stared back at her for almost five minutes before turning and slipping back into the darkness. Ashley relaxed visibly, sighing. "Okay…that was weird. So not only is this facility Prothean, but there are Protheans living in it. How is that even POSSIBLE?"

She glanced at Liara, who simply shrugged. "If the people who built this facility thought to tap into geothermal power sources or place power collection satellites in planetary orbits, the facility could theoretically run until the star went nova and destroyed the system. However, when they return I suggest you allow me to do the talking. Not to insult you, Commander, but you aren't exactly an expert on the Protheans."

Ashley nodded sheepishly. "Yeah, I know. But what was I supposed to do, ask them to hold on while I grab our resident ancient-history geek?"

Liara shook her head in irritation, then perked up as another Prothean entered the area. This one was taller, wearing black armor with gold accents, and his voice carried the calm assurance of long command. Liara could understand him well enough, though her Prothean still wasn't perfect. His voice was quiet and even, not threatening in any way. "Primitives. I recognize you. Humans, asari. How did you come to be here?"

Liara stepped up, responding cautiously in Prothean, not sure how her replies might provoke this person. "My name is Liara T'soni. This is Lieutenant James Vega and our commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Ashley Williams. We're crew from the SSV _Normandy_, which is currently undergoing repairs near this system's mass relay. Our presence here is not an accident. We were sent to investigate a distress signal that was coming from the relay, and it led us to this facility."

The Prothean smirked, looking amused at the self-confidence of these almost-animals. "I am the Archon Birak Tran, Avatar of Determination and the leader of the last remnant of our Empire. You have arrived at a fortuitous time, asari, for there are evils in the galaxy of which you are not aware. Under our leadership-"

Liara cut him off, annoyed at yet ANOTHER Prothean refusing to use her name. It must be a cultural thing. "The Reapers. Yes, we know. And we have already defeated them. In fact, we did so nearly six months ago. And we have our OWN government, thank you very much. If you'd like to set up an embassy or ask for aid, we can arrange that."

Archon Tran bristled, clearly insulted. "We do not need assistance from YOU. You are barely even SENTIENT, and you will NOT speak to your betters this way! You will-"

Liara quickly drew her Paladin, putting a single shot in the dirt between Tran's legs. Her tone was cool, eyes icy. "We will what? Submit to your rule? I don't think so. We've fought bigger things than you and won. You do not scare us. I offered to help you, but I will not stand here and be insulted and threatened by the ghost of a dead species. I've been living with one of your kind for almost a year, and one of you is about all I can put up with!"

She turned to Ashley, purposely turning her back to Tran to show her disgust. "We should go. He believes that we should bow to the remnants of the Prothean Empire, and I've just insulted him. I probably should not have done that, but…" She shrugged. "Javik gives me as much of that imperial-pride nonsense as I'm willing to take. We can easily climb out the way we came. The walls are jagged, and I can use my biotics to help us up and shield us from incoming fire. But we should go NOW."

Ashley nodded, turning and diving back into the water, swimming for the far wall. Liara froze, hearing a growling voice behind her. "I will not forget you, Liara T'soni. And you will pay dearly for this. The Empire will sweep your fleets aside. We will retake what is rightfully ours. I have thousands of men at my command, with guns and ships for all of them. We will have what is ours, and you will stand in the ashes of all that you loved, and you will weep without solace or comfort. And it will be your own fault."

Liara spoke quietly, refusing to let any fear show. She had faced down Reapers with Shepard. She'd been there on Ilos, on the Citadel, in London. One alien with delusions of grandeur wouldn't get a rise out of her. "Stay here in your cave, Archon Tran. It will be much safer for you."

Liara followed James into the water. The trio began the long climb. To Liara's surprise, there was no incoming fire at all. She knew it couldn't be this easy. He wouldn't just let them GO, would he? No. He would. He'd want to let them feel safe. It was a tactic Javik had described to her more than once. Military units would let opposing forces escape with mild casualties, then track them and strike at their home bases when they thought they were safe. That must be what he was planning.

By the time the squad reached the top of the pit, all three were panting and exhausted. Ashley heaved herself over the edge, gasping, oxygen reserves running low. "Okay, next time I do the talking. Even if I don't speak the language. That was RIDICULOUS."

Liara flopped down next to her, trying to catch her breath. "Agreed. But we can't go back to the _Normandy_ yet, though."

Ashley frowned, sitting up. "Why not?"

Liara explained about the likely Prothean tactic being employed. "Unless the UT-47A has stealth systems as well, going back to the ship would do nothing but show them where we are and how damaged the _Normandy_ is. We can't risk it, not without EDI online."

Vega groaned. "Sneaky bastards…I know what we can do, though."

Both Ashley and Liara looked over at him, both wearing looks of open skepticism that he could've come up with something one of them hadn't thought of. Vega cracked his neck and grinned. "If their gear's anything like ours, which it SHOULD be thanks to the Reapers and everything, then all we've gotta do is play asteroid hopscotch until the shuttle's hull heats up from all the solar radiation. With how close these rocks are to the star, they're all WAY hotter than we are. But if we can hold out until the outer shell gets up to the same temp as the asteroids, they won't be able to track us anymore. We'll just be one more blip. Then we go back to the ship."

Ashley laughed, dragging herself to her feet. "You're just full of surprises, Mr. Vega. Sounds like a plan to me."

The squad gathered up their strength and dashed to the shuttle, diving inside as the side hatch slammed shut. Ashley buckled herself in in one of the jump seats while Vega and Liara took the pilot seats in the front compartment. Vega grinned as they lifted off, spotting three small blips on the display. "Remote sensor drones, well back on our tail. Time to see what they're made of."

James tweaked the controls, sending the shuttle on a dizzying clockwise spin, precisely-timed thruster bursts shoving it sideways into the asteroid belt at the same time. He leveled the shuttle out perfectly, zipping and dodging between asteroids with practiced skill. There was a bright blue burst of electricity as they looped around behind the drones, one of the drones failing to turn in time and slamming into an asteroid. James whooped. "One down, two to go! Or we cook like a Sunday roast, whichever!"

Liara frowned. "A Sunday roast? Is there something you didn't TELL us about this plan?"

James grinned, continuing to pull tricks with the shuttle that would make most fighter pilots nauseous. "Nothin' to worry about, Doc. I just had to turn off the cooling systems to let the hull heat up. So…y'know…if it gets as hot as it needs to, we're all gonna boil in our hardsuits. Nothin' major. We'll be done here LONG before that happens."

James pulled up HARD, ending up parallel to the system ecliptic and shooting out of the asteroid belt. He took a quick look around and angled away from the distant shape of the _Normandy_, diving back into the belt with a grin. The two remaining drones were proving to be extremely adaptable, but James was taking it as a challenge. He grinned at Liara, something she was coming to recognize as a very bad sign. "You're gonna hate me for this, Doc."  
Liara groaned. "What are-"

She was cut off by the shuttle suddenly coming to a complete stop, flipping over, twisting 90 degrees, and rocketing off in the other direction all in the space of a tenth of a second. It felt like a geth Prime had just punched her in the chest, and she saw black spots for a moment. James didn't seem to be affected, giggling like a madman as he played chicken with the single remaining drone. He darted out of the asteroid field again, heading in toward the dying star at the center of the system. As the star got brighter Liara kept dimming the forward viewports, frowning. They were already FAR too close to the star for comfort. What was Vega DOING? He didn't seem to notice, though he WAS starting to sweat as the temperature inside the cabin spiked. He pulled another of those sudden reversals, rocketing away from the star as the last drone shot past the shuttle. Vega sat back, flicking the cooling systems back on, panting. "Got 'em all. Now THAT was fun."

Liara was still trying to catch her breath, but she managed to shoot Vega a glare that would've done Benezia proud. James just laughed, unaware that Liara was trying to kill him with her thoughts. When they brought the shuttle back into the _Normandy_'s docking bay, Liara found Ashley curled up in her jump seat, quivering slightly and muttering something about NEVER letting Vega fly a shuttle again. Liara lifted her with biotics and carried her up an emergency shaft to the infirmary before staggering back to her office and collapsing into the bed. There was sure to be a colossal mess when she woke up, but for now, all she wanted was to sleep.


End file.
